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51 - Grey Man by S R Crockett · Grey Man

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  Speaker 1: As our Crockett, Chapter fifty one, Marjorie's good Night. Even
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  Speaker 1: as the axe was falling, Marjorie Kennedy sank down upon
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  Speaker 1: the platform of the scaffold, as though the stroke had
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  Speaker 1: fallen upon her. I sheathed my sword and sprang upon
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  Speaker 1: the slippery stage to hold her up. When I took
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  Speaker 1: her in my arms, she was soft and pliable in
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  Speaker 1: all her limbs, like a little child. Till now she
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  Speaker 1: had been like a woman of steel, or rather like
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  Speaker 1: one carven and alabaster, as I have said. But now
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  Speaker 1: she lay in my arms like a new born babe
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  Speaker 1: on the nurse's lap. We carried her homeward, making strangely
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  Speaker 1: enough for some distance, but one procession with the bodies
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  Speaker 1: which were going to be buried without the wall, while
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  Speaker 1: the heads were taken to be set on the pikes
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  Speaker 1: of the nether bow. To the Earl John's own lodging
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  Speaker 1: we brought her, and in a room with a wide
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  Speaker 1: north looking window, we laid her down on a bed.
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  Speaker 1: Then we stood silently about her, nell and I being nearest.
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  Speaker 1: In a little while, Margerie turned her head to the window.
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  Speaker 1: The sun had risen on the sea. A north wind
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  Speaker 1: was blowing all was very blue and smacked of the
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  Speaker 1: morning freshness. For the window was open, and the sea
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  Speaker 1: air blew off the firth, almost as salt. It was
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  Speaker 1: wont to blow in at the windows of Coolane. Thrice
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  Speaker 1: she moved her lips to speak, but till the fourth
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  Speaker 1: time no word came. I have done the work appointed,
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  Speaker 1: she said, I can not if I have done it right.
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  Speaker 1: She paused a little, and her eyes as she looked
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  Speaker 1: at the sea, were very wide and wistful. It is
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  Speaker 1: a hard saying that vengeance is his. I thought it
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  Speaker 1: would be sweet, sweet, she said, But now in the
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  Speaker 1: mouth it is bitter. Hush thee Marjorie whispered my knell.
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  Speaker 1: It was the justice of God upon the murderers of
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  Speaker 1: our father. And I thought that she spoke well, But
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  Speaker 1: Marjorie waved her aside. Like enough, she answered, quietly, as
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  Speaker 1: one that has not strength to argue, but yet holds
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  Speaker 1: the contrary opinion. Done at least is Marjorie's task. I
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  Speaker 1: journey forth to take my wages. Fare you well. She
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  Speaker 1: turned her face a little outward so that she could
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  Speaker 1: look upon the sea in the Fife Lomans a dearer shore,
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  Speaker 1: she said, softly, and then she started a little quickly,
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  Speaker 1: as if she had waked from sleep. Where am I?
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  Speaker 1: She asked? But ere we could answer, even Nell, who
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  Speaker 1: stood close beside her and stroked her brow with a
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  Speaker 1: soft hand. She went on, Oh what am I? Saying?
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  Speaker 1: I was thinking on our garden at Coolaine, with its
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  Speaker 1: rose walks and the sweet dreaming scent of the sea.
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  Speaker 1: She looked up at me as it had been almost archly,
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  Speaker 1: yet so as almost to break my heart. Launcelot, lad
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  Speaker 1: she said, hast thou, thy gage, that I gave thee there,
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  Speaker 1: YE thought me once to be sweet. And I liked you, Laddie.
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  Speaker 1: I liked you with something just an inch on the
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  Speaker 1: hither side of loving. But now Nellie will love thee
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  Speaker 1: a mile on the further side. Come you, Nell, she said,
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  Speaker 1: beckoning her brave sweet sister. Let not thou sharp tongue
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  Speaker 1: longer endure thy warm heart. Give me your hand, little
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  Speaker 1: sister Nellie. Where is it? I cannot see for the
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  Speaker 1: bright shining light, and finding Nell's hand, she put it
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  Speaker 1: into mine. Across the bed. Good Night, barones, she said,
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  Speaker 1: even so keep them till the world ends. Then, for
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  Speaker 1: a short space she was silent, and when she spoke again.
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  Speaker 1: It was very low, so that none save Nell and
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  Speaker 1: I could hear, But the words made us tingle as
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  Speaker 1: we caught them. Gilbert. She was saying, in a whisper,
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  Speaker 1: clear and distinct. Is it not sweet to walk thus
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  Speaker 1: hand in hand on the green meadows? Are not the
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  Speaker 1: spring flowers? Sweet lad of my love? Shall I sing
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  Speaker 1: thee a song about them? For though thou knowest it not,
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  Speaker 1: I can sing both high and low. Then she spoke,
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  Speaker 1: as it had been, liltingly and gladsomely, Gilbert, let me
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  Speaker 1: set this spray of the bonny burke above thine heart.
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  Speaker 1: Methinks it hath a strange look. I kened not that
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  Speaker 1: it grew in this countryside. She broke into a weird
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  Speaker 1: lilt of song that sent the tears hasting to our eyes.
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  Speaker 1: But Marjorie was smiling, as she never smiled on me,
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  Speaker 1: and that made me weep. The more it neither grew
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  Speaker 1: in psych nor ditch, nor yet in any shook. But
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  Speaker 1: at the gates of Paradise that burke grew fair enough, Gilbert, Gilbert,
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  Speaker 1: she said, lovingly, crooning like one that is caressed. Is
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  Speaker 1: not this right winsome that we are walking here? Together
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  Speaker 1: on the living green, with all our fascists, all our
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  Speaker 1: troubles left quite behind us. There was surely something long
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  Speaker 1: ago that wearied us, something that parted us and twained us.
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  Speaker 1: I cannot mind what it was. I shall not try
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  Speaker 1: to remember. But love of mine, it shall separate us
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  Speaker 1: no more, forever and ever. Her voice had almost gone,
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  Speaker 1: but once again it came louder. Keep my hand, Gilbert,
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  Speaker 1: she said, trembling a little. There is a mist coming
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  Speaker 1: up over the green betwixt me and the sunshine, a cold,
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  Speaker 1: cold mist from the sea. But keep thou my hand
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  Speaker 1: to dear Love. Clasp it tighter, and it will pass over.
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  Speaker 1: I saw the death sweat break on her brow, Gilbert. Gilbert,
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  Speaker 1: she whispered, searching above her with her hands, and opening
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  Speaker 1: her arms. Clasp me closer. I cannot see thee love
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  Speaker 1: for the mist. I cannot feel your hand. I bent
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  Speaker 1: my ear. I thought she was gone from us, But
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  Speaker 1: as from an infinite distance, I heard the words come
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  Speaker 1: to me. They were the last spoken with great relief.
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  Speaker 1: The mist has gone by, dear Love. The mist has
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  Speaker 1: quite gone by, and she lay still, smiling most sweetly.
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  Speaker 1: End of Chapter fifty one.